8.29.2008

i'm a little slow on the announcement band wagon for spreading the word on a story of tragedy and incredible human compassion for one of our fellow blogging friends. this is a story that has stuck with me all week ~ i can't stop thinking about it actually, so i am sorry for being late on bringing this up on studio wellspring ~ but it's not too late for it to be useful.

a lovely woman and delightful blogger, stephanie nielson and her husband christian were in a very serious plane crash last week. they are a young couple with four children under the age of six. they are in critical condition with a very long & very expensive recovery ahead of them. stephanie has third degree burns covering 80% of her body and christian has third degree burns over 30% of his body. the outreach to help them has been so inspirational, and you can be a part of it too! online auctions are all over the blogiverse to help them with the expenses and there's a fund you can contribute to directly as well.

as of yesterday, 300 websites & blogs are auctioning off some super wonderful items for the family's benefit, in all price ranges. go here to see the comprehensive list: http://www.designmom.com/ . i've included photos from some of the items to tantilize you into jumping over & bidding.

8.27.2008

so very many things are happening right now that i haven't had a chance to participate in the blogging world much lately. i miss it and i miss you. so, i just wanted to let you know real quick that the sun is shining and it's 80 degrees in san francisco {a god-send to finally feel some summertime weather here}, i'm getting settled in my new digs {that i love}, and work is kicking my backside like nobody's business. the air is fresh, my mind is clear, and i'm feeling beautiful these days in my rotund state of 7-1/2 months pregnant. ;o) i hope you're enjoying beautiful days too, and please keep in touch as i'll be back to my usual communication skills soon. xo!{photo from harmonie interieure ~ more on this coming soon}

8.20.2008

the term 'sustainable interiors' can be misleading because it describes only part of the picture. claiming that a project or renovation is green, sustainable or eco-friendly, may seem like a wonderful thing to boast but it alone doesn't define a space. an interior space also needs to have functionality, beauty, comfort, and good space planning ~ as all good design requires. the vast majority of projects claiming to be green aren't 100% eco-friendly, especialy since they're often found within existing non-green architecture. but integrating green design techniques and knowing where to go to help boost the eco-friendly factor in interiors projects is the key stone to making a shift from wasteful to wonderful in interior design. that's why i just adore finding people like rachel winokur & her firm eTTa designs.

in this excerpt from apartment therapy rachel has some great tips for staying green during a renovation and shares some of her favorite resources.in her own home she's stayed green largely due to using vintage pieces instead of buying new. for larger projects here's how she stays green:

renovations ~ one of the first things to do when starting a renovation project is to plan for the proper disposal of whatever will be removed. this means: recycling demolition debris through a service like looney binsor in some cases a better solution is to hire someone like the reuse peopleto deconstruct your project and take away all materials intact to be sold at their warehouse. your tax deductions for the donation of those materials may offset the cost of deconstruction which takes a little longer than demolition, but shouldn't be a problem with proper planning.the reuse people's warehouse is a terrific place to buy building materials at a fraction of the cost of new. for commercial projects, check with the city to find out who they require you to use. {for the eco-friendly nail salon we completed recently, we were instructed to use consolidated disposal services.}planning the design ~ use what's already there. it's important to embrace the existing conditions and make as few structural changes as possible {as long as it makes sense to the project}. this creates less waste and can also decrease the cost and energy usage. for the nail salon, we kept the existing window and door openings and added new metal frames to give it a fresh and clean look, added clerestory windows for cross-ventilation with clerestory windows in the back, and added fluted glass for privacy. we re-used an existing exterior light fixture which was cleaned up and re-installed with a flourescent bulb. to remove existing paint and stains from a fixture you wish to re-use, try soyclean's paint stripper. we also discovered a wonderful concrete floor hiding underneath the wall-to-wall carpet. to remove remaining carpet adhesive, use something like franmar's bean-e-dooand enhance the concrete finish with a product from eco-procote.new materials ~ when selecting new materials and finishes, consider not only the manufacturer's 'green' claim, but also the product's life cycle and who manufactures it and where. for example, recyclable glass tile from sandhill industriesis not only made of 100% recycled glass, the energy used to make it is less than 1/2 that required to make ceramic tile and 1/4 that of cast glass tile.choosing the right green product usually requires weighing the pros and cons just like with any product. for example, at $29/SF, the sandhill glass tile may sound expensive, but consider covering a smaller area with this special tile or use it more generously and hold back on something else. also consider the associated savings with benefits of 'green' products, like health, durability, sustainability and curb appeal.

for more delights along the same lines, rachel has a nice blog based on her green design philosophy & savvy, called eTTa bits.

8.15.2008

it's called grosgrain. this fabulous blog is by the very talented & generous kathleen dougherty. basically she designs & makes the most adorable children's clothes ever and she gives away one of her creations every single week to one lucky winner. for free.

i'm so swooning over her generosity & creativity. . . . . even if you don't have a wee one yourself, i'm sure you know some one who does, so click on over to get in on some of this swooning.

earlier this week my dear friend ivy leapt into her 30's with her amazing natural beauty & grace glowing as usual. i haven't had time until now to give her the birthday collage card, so i hope even though this is belated, the heartfelt adoration is what shines through. because, it's beaming brightly for ivy now and always.

i admire her so much for so many things ~ her strength of character, her dedication of practice, her artistic genius, her wisdom, her compassion, her generostiy, her genuineness, her sense of adventure. she is a true great blessing in my life and she contributes so much to every thing she does, every where she goes ~ the world is a very lucky place to have her in it. happy 30 miss. ivy divine!

8.13.2008

i've discovered a new blog to enjoy and another kick-ass lady to admire. party.perfect is just that ~ a perfect place to visit for anything & everything party inspired. a former marthastewart art director, sara hicks malone, is the blog's author. this very talented lady does much more than blog & mommy in nashville. she is also a fabulous graphic designer & stylist. her line of cards can be found at the paper cafe {among other places} and a nice little blog post about her lovely home is on designer's library. sara collects tons of fun ideas & information on her fabulous blog. . . . . definitely worth getting to know.

"i am interested in connections between image and language, titles, punch lines, miscommunication, subversions, open systems, contributions from others, seriality, collections, discovery and inventing. i employ reductive logic, and strive for objective and rational solutions to form concluded works. i am especially interested in the connection of the start and end points of a hand drawn circle."

8.08.2008

this is an auspicious day for anyone who believes in lucky numbers. so i thought this was a good time to add to my consumer wish list.

{that mermaid lamp & painted twisted wood side table ~ yes please, without delay! they were found in a ghislaine vinas brilliantly designed bedroom, but not sure where she found them. hmmm. . . . .}

{the baby le cornue ~ not that i have a kitchen to put it in at this moment but if i somehow acquired this by a fortunate turning of events i'd find a way to utilize it until i have the place to have it properly installed. and it would become a family heirloom for ever more!}

{this armoire for my little girl's things ~it would be the perfect place to display & store, and i really could use this right about now. i've been saving this from my martha stewart inspiration projects folder}

{a carry over from yesterday's post ~ i am ready to spend a week's retreat here, asap. or maybe make this my full-time home even? first off, i adore the ocean ~ i grew up there and always long to return when i'm away. secondly, i love swings and almost any style of swing chair. thirdly, porches that have places to relax with friends are always a part of my "necessities for houses" list. lastly, that view ~ 'nough said.}

{ok, so this is way over the top, but this is a lucky day so i'm just putting it out there for fun. . . . . a 1956 drophead coupe convertible in mint condition. oh my i would die just to be able to sit in it much less drive it. and i swoon just imagining what it would be like to own this beauty. i'd sell everything i own, including my soul, to the devils for that one.}

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and what, pray tell, is on your wish list dear ones?

i hope many wishes are granted for you today and throughout the weekend!

8.07.2008

oh my, have i not been getting enough of this lately. somehow i've got a very full life with a to-do list that never ends and i forgot to rejuvenate. that's not my usual style. i suppose i'm just trying to be sure everything gets done before, well, you know, that due date arrives. but it sure seems like a lot of other things besides just baby-prep are going on. way more than usual, actually. and i am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. which means it's time to slow down, breathe, and just be.i'm trying to face it all with a happy heart and a smiling spirit. for the most part that comes naturally to me, as i am optimistic by nature. and ultimately, these are all good things ~ albeit they all require steap learning curves, lots of attention, and all the enthusiasm i can summon. but when i find myself musing about how much calmer & easier things will be after the baby comes {and thinking of that as my excuse to keep on pushing myself through the next task-at-hand}, then i know i've hit a new high of self-imposed delusion. and so i've really got to take a step back and soak up some nothingness. . . . . if even for only a few hours. . . . .with some quality alone time at the ocean.

amen.

{i've had these lovely quote-infused images saved for a while & unfortunately can't find who's work they are. if you know, please tell me & i'll happily give proper credit}

a budding designer

sharing passions and inspirations {dance & design mostly, but also some of my favorite things that add value to my life} ~ blogging is an exchange that i've learned to appreciate very much, so i hope you'll share along with me.